r hair was now fashioned into a sort
of messy chignon； held together with the electric blue magnetic bulldog clip they used to keep
their takeout menus on the door of the refrigerator。 To make things worse； there were stray pieces
of pink towel lint in his beard。
Maybe homeschooling wasn？t such a great idea。
？Isn？t there someplace you kids need to be？？ Rufus asked； downing the remains of his wine。
Obviously； one glass wouldn？t be nearly enough。
？e on； Dad；？ Dan plained。 ？It？s not like I？m never going to college。 I just deferred for a
year； that？s all。？
Rufus reached for the uncorked bottle of Sangiovese in the middle of the table and poured
himself some more。 ？I just spent eighty thousand dollars on your high school education； all
borrowed； so it？ll probably be double with interest。 Excuse me for not being ecstatic。？ His gray
eyebrows knitted together in a furry single line。 ？Does Vanessa even know about this？？ he
demanded suspiciously。
Dan ripped open a clear plastic packet of fluorescent orange duck sauce with his teeth and
squirted it onto an egg roll。 ？Not really。？
Jenny and Rufus both stared at him in shocked surprise。
Dan looked up。 ？What？？
？Idiot；？ Jenny breathed across the table at him。 She？d worked with Vanessa Abrams onRancor ；
the Constance student…run arts magazine； and had hung out with her enough times to know that
she was fiercely independent and not at all into this sort of lovesick…puppy…dog shit Dan was
pulling。 Besides； wasn？t she supposed to be going out with Blair Waldorf？s stepbrother
now？ ？Idiot；？ she muttered again。
Rufus didn？t say anything。 He just picked up his glass of wine； carried i